Itania
Itania '(/ɪt-eɪ-ni-ə/ Itanian: Itsune /ɪt-sə-nɛ/), officially known as The United Land and Islands of Itania (Itanian: Placeholder), is the north-eastern most country of Rajahn.It shares oceanic borders with Nordenar to the north and Mushu to the south, to which it is connected by a tunnel. Additionally, it shares land borders with Ankorh and Gorea to the west and south west, respectively. It is Rajahn's second most populated country, with a population of 1.82 billion people, according to recent census data, with most of the population density concentrated in the eastern half of the country. The capital city of Itania is Sekia, which is the largest city in the country as well as the second largest city in the world. It also represents the largest metropolitan area in the world. Modern Itania is a parliamentary democracy with a highly developed economy that is a major player on the global scale, consistently ranking in the top five nations by nominal GDP and purchasing power. It is largely ranked on various scales as having one of the highest gender equality ratings in metropolitan, day-to-day life. Scores in rural areas and business show lower ratings for gender equality, but slow, steady increases are being marked as recent social pressures gradually begin to penetrate deeper. As a whole, the country also shows poor equality in terms of the division of wealth. History Pre-history, formative years, timeline with major events (With various social, political, geographical religious, economic and social components) major historical figures. Government ((military)) Domestic politics Itania is governed by a bicameral parliamentary democracy, in which the Parliament (Itanian: ''Gatuko) as well as the ministers in charge of the various governmental bodies are all elected by the public. Legislative power in Itania is vested in the two parts of the Parliament, the People's Representatives and the Representatives of the Aristocracy.To run for the People's Representatives, a candidate must not have previously held a position in the Representatives of the Aristocracy and have earned less than five million Kori prior to tax deductions for preceeding five years. The Judiciary is was set up by the government by the Separation of Powers Act, which declared that the governments Executive and Legislative branches were separate and independent of the Judicial branch. The political system is multi-party, with candidates standing for election primarily from one of two major parties, the Democratic Itanian Party and the People's Party of Itania, though independent candidates and smaller parties do exist and hold seats within the two chambers. Elections for national government occur every 5 years, and elections for smaller, local governments occur every 4 years. Itania has an uncodified constitution that relies on conventions, statutes and statements of best practice to define the principles by which the country is governed. There are sections of the populace that are troubled by this, claiming that it means that it is impossible for the government to act in a way which can be legally regarded as unconstitutional. These people lobby the state to codify a written constitution, though their efforts have been unsuccessful thus far. The two chambers of Parliament each use a majority vote from their own ranks to elect one person from amongst their number to act as the Arbitrator of the Chamber, the presiding officer for their chamber, whose job it is to determine who may speak, to call and tally votes, maintain order and punish rule breakers. It is also their job to make final decisions for the chamber on issues where a vote has failed to achieve sufficient majority. As such, the position is highly influential and holders of the titles are generally desired to be non-partisan, though in practise this is seldom the case. Heads of governmental departments (the Executive) are elected by the people from the Legislative (Parliament) on a case by case basis and serve until either the Legislative pass a vote of no confidence with concurrent majority, or until the next election. Heads of departments hold the title of Ministerial Administrator, as opposed to the conventional parliamentary title of Representative. Collectively, the two Arbitrators and the Ministerial Administrators are theoretically intended to run the country as a collective. In practice, however, there is a large degree of autonomy, with each individual running his or her duty with little more than perfunctory coordination with others outside of major issues of cross-departmental significance. Despite their executive power, each is answerable to both chambers of Parliament and can be deposed by concurrent majority in votes of no confidence, forcing a re-election from within the chambers. Deposed members return to the rank of Representative until the next election The government is divided into local and national levels, the latter of which was outlined above. Local governments in Itania are each charged with managing districts. The members of local governments are responsible for the organisation of things like waste disposal, local healthcare and educational provision, consumer protection, the fire service, city planning and other similar functions. Local governors are voted for from people within their administrative district, and may not concurrently hold a position within the Parliament. '''Division of power As mentioned, the governmental power in Itania is broken down into separate bodies, namely the Executive, who run the branches of government and have sole authority and responsibility for the administration of the state; the Legislative, who sit the Chambers and have responsibility for passing, amending and repealing statutory law, along with control of taxes and ratifying the governmental budget; the Judiciary, who interpret and enact the laws passed by the Legislative on behalf of the Executive via their control of the police and court systems. Domestic policy and social programs Itania has a strong tradition of helping disadvantaged citizens, such as the elderly, homeless and disabled through various projects and programs, as well as an extensive welfare system. The government funds an expansive network of care homes for those incapable of looking after themselves, as well as free centres dedicated to helping find work and homes for the homeless, as well as providing care to get them free of drugs and alcohol if they should need it. Many subway stations have also been fitted with sleeping pods for homeless people to use on nights where shelters haven't the room to take them, at the cost of only a handful of Kori to help cover the cost of maintaining them. The government also run a scouting movement and foreign exchange programs for the youth, to help diversify their interests and to help promote healthy lifestyle and cultural awareness. Children are also encouraged to take an active interest in local and national politics through a policy that requires schools to take Jaikuto students on trips to local and national government to see the system at work first-hand. The country is also in the final stages of a recent move by activists to increase the marriageable age to 18. At present, the marriageable age for men is 18 and 15 for women, and the age of consent is 15 for both. The move is said to be in a bid to help to combat the current gender-equality gap that exists in the country with most of the pressure coming from youth groups in circles that actively oppose conventional gender roles, stating that the change will reflect the fact that women can have careers, also, and that abolishing the subtle legal hint that women should begin home making as soon as possible will send a clear message to the population that the country recognises that both sexes can perform equally well inside and outside the home. International politics Itania is active on the international scene as a member of various economic and conservation forums, as well as being a member of the Assembly of Nations. The country appoints its delegates to each of these bodies via appointment by the Ministry of Foreign Relations. By convention, the Ministerial Administrator of Foreign Affairs and the two Arbitrators of the Chamber are offered unrestricted rights to attend any events they choose without obligation or expectation to do so. In terms of policy, Itania practises a general policy of eschewing military alliances advocates a regime of non-military involvement in global conflict, preferring to act as mediators between parties and offering aid to civilians affected by the conflict in place of sending troops to help either side in the fighting, leading to much frustration about their place in the Assembly's Security Council, which is primarily occupied by member states with histories of active military involvement, such as Tel Shem and Ostenar. Despite their lack of military involvement, the country makes extensive use of foreign trade agreements to strengthen relations. Chief amongst these agreements are the significant amounts of animal products purchased from their near neighbours at immensely favourable trade tariffs, ensuring that both Ankorh and Gorea have vested interests in the country from an economic standpoint, whilst utilising that interest to keep them as something of a buffer zone between themselves and other countries in the event that relations should, for some reason, sour. They have a strong commitment towards conservation of wildlife and natural spaces, but also earn considerable profits from oil. As such, they are active in environmental circles as advocates of finding cleaner and more efficient ways to utilise fossil fuels, including having set up an international research agency dedicated to the task, the Fuel Research Institute, which now receives considerable funding from the international community. Despite being a notably approachable, friendly, and cooperative nation, Itania maintains frosty relations with Mushu owing to historic tensions stemming from the time of the country's origins as a break-away state that rejected oppressive rule from their southern neighbours during the reign of King Man Hoo in 2023. The resultant tensions and periodic wars and border skirmishes have left the two regimes mistrustful of one another, though conflicts have ceased in recent years. Concerns amongst the current Itanian government are that the rising popularity of the Conserative Party of Mushu will see them carried to power at the next elections to renew the hositlities. Executive Government Agencies Department of Business and Trade Regulation Overseen by: Ministerial Administrator for Business, Yoriri Yamoko Itsumaka The Department of Business and Trade Regulation is the executive branch responsible for enforcing business law. They oversee corporate tax collection, competitive trading legislation, consumer protection, imports and exports. In addition, they maintain the National Statistics Body, Insolvency Service, Land Register and economic development. Subordinate bodies: Consumer Protection Authority, Office of Reputable Trade Practice, Itanian Land Registry Office, Insolvency Department, National Statistics Body, Licensing Office, National Organisation for Economic Growth, Debt Reduction Agency, Serious Fraud Office Consultancy Culture +Sport Department for Defence of the Homeland Overseen by: Ministerial Administrator for Defence, Hakita Yamoko Ikori The Department for Defence of the Homeland is the executive body responsible for a wide variety of fields relating to security and the military. The department runs several intelligence organisations, the armed forces (land, naval and airborn), as well as performing international terrorism duties, contingency planning and work into defence against known and theoretical weapons of mass destruction. Subordinate bodies: Military Intelligence Office, Military Sattellites and Space Operations Branch, Image Analysis Office, Itanian Navy, Itanian Airforce, Itanian Homeland guard, Cryptography and Communications Headquarters, National Defence and Weapons Technology Laboratory, National Explosives Laboratory, Special Operations Division, Catastrophic Incident Response Team, Itanian Research Institute of Infectious and Weaponised Pathogens and Chemicals Hazardous to Health District Governance Energy+Infrastructure Environmental Affairs Department of Higher Education and Research Overseen by: Ministerial Administrator for Higher Education, Aki Saori Mokotawa The Department of Higher Education and Research oversees the country's universities, monitoring their performance and accreditting degree programs before they are allowed to be taught. They also manage the country's researching funding budget, distributing funds to research bodies based on the depth and scope of their proposals. Further, the department is charged with the "employability" of the nation, and maintaining Itania's space interests. Subordinate bodies: Itanian Space Agency, Degree Accreditation Committee, Skills and Employability Council, University Standards Commission, Research Funding Allocation Committee, Disasters and Weather Office, Intellectual Property Office Internal Affairs Department of Public Education and Skills Overseen by: Ministerial Administrator of Education, Mikori Kira Akiro The Department of Public Education and Skills is responsible for a variety of tasks related to the provision of compulsory education in the country. They are responsible for monitoring the standards of both public and private schools, administering standardised testing, setting curricular requirements, as well as providing teacher training and assessment. All teachers must be registered as qualified with the department before they are legally allowed to teach in the country. The registration is required to be renewed anually. Subordinate bodies: Testing Standards Authority, Board of School Inspectors, Teaching Standards Agency, Schools Funding Department Department of Public Healthcare Overseen by: Ministerial Administrator for Public Health, Oki Sabataki Oyoshi The Department of Public Healthcare is responsible for the provision of health and social care to the people of the country, as well as monitoring the standards of private agencies providing these facilities. The role encompasses the administration and funding of the Health and Wellness Service, providing guardianship for those without capacity to care for themselves, disease outbreak control, and public health. Accrediation of medical degree programs must also be signed off by the department. Further, the Department of Public Healthcare also maintain and part-fund the Itanian Research Institute of Infectious and Weaponised Pathogens and Chemicals Hazardous to Health, alongside the Department for Defence of the Homeland. Subordinate bodies: Office of the Public Guardian, Itanian Research Institute of Infectious and Weaponised Pathogens and Chemicals Hazardous to Health, Health and Wellness Service, Standards in Healthcare Authority, Medical Accreditation body, Disease Control Institute. Work Charity Oversight Body Judicial Liaison Office Overseen by: Ministerial Advisor for Justice, Tori Kira Hidiyo The Judicial Liaison Office is the body that acts as the midway point between the Executive and Legislative bodies, advising each about the decisions and concerns of the other. Often considered by each arm to be more a part of the other, the JLO have sometimes been a source of conflict between the two bodies but have just as often been mediators in disagreement. It is one of the smallest departments in the Executive, alongside the Office of the Arbitrators. Ministry of Foreign Relations Office of the Arbitrators International Affairs Treasury Office Judicial Agencies Civil Court System Court of Appeal Criminal Court System Forensic Science Service Grand Court of Civilian Justice Grand Court of Criminal Justice Ministerial Court of Appeal Ministerial Security Force National Police Agency Office of Military Accountability Office of Ministerial Accountability Office of Prisons Office of the Public Prosecutor Serious Fraud Office Serious Incident Response Unit Special Investigative Branch Law The Itanian legal system is based on a foundation of statutory law. The essence of the system is that the law is created by the legislative body and enforced by decisions handed down by judges in the courts of law. There have been only a handful of incidences where a judge's ruling has carried sufficient weight that it has formed the basis of a legal precedent that was later the driving force behind a change in written law. The court system is headed by the High Courts of Itania, comprised of the Ministerial Court of Appeal, the Court of Appeal, and the Grand Courts of Civilian and Criminal Justice. Cases of civil law are usually brought before local civil courts where judges hand down a ruling based on an inquisitorial system. If either party feels the ruling is unjust, the case will be either retried before a new judge or brought before the Grand Court of Civilian Justice where a final ruling will be made, against which there can be no appeal. Criminal cases are also typically heard locally, following an adversarial system where each side argues their case to a sitting judge. Appeals against these cases are heard before the three-judge panels of the Court of Appeal. Certain high-interest cases may also go before the Ministerial Court of Appeal, the highest court in the land, to be ruled upon by representatives of each parliamentary body and a team of legal advisers from the Judiciary. The system was not always this way, though. The earliest legal systems in Itania are documented as having been exclusively inquisitorial with cases heard before the community and led by a prominent figure from same. The system was allowed to continue before the Governmental Reform, when Itanian politics became centralised and it was decided that there was a need for professional individuals who were well-versed in the new laws to sit at the head of cases, ostensibly to prevent potential miscarriages of justice and to ensure that only individuals of affirmed moral character and shrewd judgement could make such important decisions without risk of bribery and other forms of corruption. Geography and ecology Rivers, mountains, islands, climate, enviro situation, plant+animal life, disasters, weather Economy Itania has a large and healthy economy. It utilises free market principles and is often thought of as being a mixed market economy, where prices of services and goods are moderated by supply and demand, and where levels of regulation and taxation are relatively low. The official currency is the Kori, whose international standard code is ITK. Taxation in Itania is regarded as being relatively low, thanks in part to the general trend towards using the State run industries to supply products to major public organisations like the HWS as well as turning a profit and creating jobs. The idea was also adopted by Tel Shem with the founding of Medco. Itania is a leader in precision technical equipment, being the worlds largest exporter of aerospace equipment, electronics and computer hardware. It also has significant reserves of heavy metals, making it a major player in the export of same, with much of their produce being used for catalysis in the chemical industries elsewhere. Other major exports include oil and seafood. In terms of imports, the country is sorely dependent on other countries for wood products and livestock derivatives such as leather and meats. They also rely on imports for many fruits. On average, the Kori tends to be equivalent to about 0.02 Ostanian Mitres. The country retains close economic ties with Gorea and Ankorh, its near neighbours, offering them favourable import tariffs on their livestock, which accounts for a sizeable portion of Itanian meat consumption. Healthcare The Healthcare and Wellness Service of Itania is the primary healthcare system in Itania, and is responsible for the provision of the majority of healthcare to the citizens of the country. It was founded in 3026 by the parliamentary Public Health Act 3023. It is primarily funded by taxation of the population and usage fees, though it does have for-profit branches, included drug research and synthesis that help close the shortfall. The system is designed such that each tax-paying citizen will receive free treatment for dentistry, general medicine, eye tests and other complaints up to a certain annual cost threshold. Any treatment that carries them over their yearly limit must be paid for by the person in question. People claiming certain benefits, homeless people, the young and the retired receive adjusted care limits, with children, ritrees and the homeless receiving free care. The govermental branch responsible for the HWS and its affilitated organisations is the Department of Public Health, headed by the Ministerial Administrator of Public Health. Most of the departmental budget is spent on the HWS. The private healthcare sector has often been used to supplement existing services, with the different between the private and public costs being made up by the State. This is despite protests and opposition from doctors and other helath care professionals. Additionally, the private health care sector in Itania is famous for its world-leading reputation for cosmetic procedures, reconstructions and advanced prostethetics. This reputation has seen Itania develop a reputation for being a hotspot much sought after for the so-called "surgical vacation". Average life expectancy for the people is Itania is 80.2 years for males and 82.1 years for females. Education The government branch that oversees primary and secondly education in Itania is known as the Department of Public Education and Skills, which is overseen by the Ministerial Administrator of Education. Universities and other tertiary educational institutes are overseen by the Department of Higher Education, run by the Ministerial Administrator for Higher Educational Bodies. Between the ages of four and eleven, children attend primary schools, known as Saikuto ''or 'first school'; eleven to sixteen is the first half of secondary school, called ''Jaikuto ''or 'general school'; the final compulsory part of Itanian education is the seventeen to nineteen section, called ''Tomakuto or 'technical school'. Private education exists at every stage, representing approximately 30% of all education at the primary and secondary levels, and 5% of tertiary institutes. The public system is also 'tiered', which high-scoring students attending selective-intake schools based on assessments and intake exams. Places at these schools are highly competitive amongst people without the money to afford private education and no access to scholarships. Universities in Itania take students who have completed Tomakuto with a general educational certificate, as well as certifications in the various disciplines relevant to their chosen course. Students can apply for a loan to fund their academic careers at this level, as well as applying for a variety of bursaries and scholarships. Several businesses and bodies also offer to sponsor exceptional students for the duration of the course, pending consistent good performance through each year. In return, the student has a contractual obligation to work for the company for an agreed period in return. A Bachelor's degree from an Itanian university is a four year program specialising in the chosen field, but students are also expected to pursue at least two extraneous modules per year to broader their outlook. A Master's degree adds an additional year on to this, and a Doctorate a further three. Medical disciplines entail a six year basic degree program, with Medical Doctorates adding a further four years. Programs are regarded as being amongst the most intensive in Rajahn, owing to high numbers of modules and contact hours. Itanian universities are regarded as being some of the finest in the world, with various league tables such as the Good Universities Guide and the OP World University League ranking at least two Itanian universities in their top ten every year for the past ten years. The OP World University League has listed four Itanian universities in its top fifteen for the past six years. The Sekida School of Biosciences and Medicine is regarded as being the world's leading teaching and research body for microbiology. Academic degrees in Itania are categorised as follows: Bikato Jukaide (95%), Jukaide (90%), Yuka (80%), Kaiko (70%), Tsumanu ''(<70%). Society Social class As a country, Itania is noted for its uneven distribution of wealth, giving rise to a notable class system that is reflected in the political structure of the country. Typically, the class system of Itania is considered to consist of the aristocracy, middle class, lower class and the peasantry. Class mobility is relatively static in Itania, in that people are seldom seen to move up and down in social standing, though this is less-frequently the case with the aristocracy, which suffers less from classes of Old Money and New Money, preferring instead to consider all high-earners members of one of the sub-levels of this over-arching class. '''Aristocracy (''Kishoni)' The kishoni are considered to be the highest general social class in the country, characterised by high-earning, educated professionals. The benchmark for being considered a member of this class is typically held to be an eligibility to run for the Chamber of Aristocrats, or a history of having been a member. Though the majority of Itanians consider this class to be sub-divided into the ultra-rich and the well-off, the group is actually ambiguously divided into many sub-classes by just how much they earn and the company they can afford to keep. Some smaller sub-groups also value the company of notable historical lineages in preference to simply similarly affluent individuals. Because of the way that the money-minded Itanians denote this class, it represents a far larger percentage than it would do in other countries. Despite this, the highest echelons of the class, ultra-rich, make up only 0.65% of the population '''Middle class (''Shijioni)' The middle classes of Itania are a broad group of people working in a whole range of professions, ranging from office administration though to influential professional lawyers and doctors. Some parts of the middle class can be considered to be part of the lower class. For example, some people consider low-end retail employees as being part of the lower class, where-as others see them as being at the bottom end of the middle class. '''Lower class (''Kokoni)' The lower class are people who are amongst the lowest employed earners in the country. The class is primarily made up of unskilled manual labourers and shop employees. Often they struggle to make ends meet with the high cost of living in the country. Perhaps predictably, the experience a lower quality of primary and secondary education to their more affluent contemporaries, which hinders their upwards mobility considerably. The lower class, along with the peasantry, make up the significant majority of the prison population in Itania. '''Peasantry (''Kaijoni)' Often pejoratively referred to as ''sijokoni, or throw-away people, the kaijoni represent the lowest social order of Itania society. Formed by the unemployed, the homeless and otherwise impoverished, they often struggle financially, grappling with debt and social stigma. The status can be hard to break, because employees will typically selectively hire people of higher social standing who are thought to have a greater quantity of more recent work experience. Some argue that it is hardly surprising that, in the face of overwhelming discrimination from employers, the kaijoni are often forced to turn to crime to support themselves and family, arguing for social reform to address the issues. Additionally, it is often the case that the mentally unwell are placed into the kaijoni by wider society. Despite rapidly improving standards of psychiatric care in the country, the general population struggles with understanding and dealing with mental illness, often believing sufferers to dangerous and unpredictable or suffering because of chronic drug abuse. This label can often be applied to mentally ill people from backgrounds in any of the other classes, too. Campaign groups are frequently caught up in battles with the government to try and bring about real change, criminalising discriminatory treatment of the mentally unwell. Each attempt has been blocked, though the most recent efforts have achieved success in the Chamber of the People, but was defeated in the Chamber of the Aristocrats by overwhelming majority. Counter- and subcultures Gaidakun Gaidakun are Itania's answer to organised crime syndicates. Typically, members (gaika) are somewhat reviled for their actions, but some small subsections of society embrace the mystique and glamour afforded to gaidakun. There are even magazines dedicated to detailing their supposed dealings and figures involved with them. People dedicated to following gaidakun or even specific gaika will congregate in areas known to be hangouts for figures involved in crime, dressing in the classic style of more senior members of the organisations: white vests or T-shirts worn with tailored trousers and shoes, topped by a necklace bearing a syndicates insignia and a suit jacket without sleeves, designed to show off the tattoo sleeve on one arm. Extensive magazine coverage has been given to the meaning of the various symbols involved in the sleeves, allowing readers to create their own. Gangs tolerate this because it muddies the waters for investigators looking to make arrests and keep tabs on gang activities. Some have even gone to far as to revel in their pseudo-celebrity status. Kounoni The kounoni style, translated as dark people, was created in response to the gothic subculture in other countries, Itania took up aspects of the culture and made it their own in various ways. As with conventional gothic culture, there are several subtypes that fall within the category, ranging from the futuristic Sakanori to the bleak Kurure, each with distinct aesthetic and musical tastes. Quite often, youngsters and followers of the style seek to imitate the appearances and styles of their favourite cultural icons. Three of the most prevalent forms are briefly mentioned below. Sakanori The precursor to the cyber goth, it bears aesthetic resemblance to the latter but often lacks the cyberpunk accessories like goggles and respirators. Because of its striking use of contrasting matte and gloss, black and neon, and the distinctive cyberlox, sakanori is perhaps the most pervasive style of kuononi in many places. They tend to favour either dance, rave or metal music, with great interest and focus around the musical aspect of their culture. Frequently, they attend clubs and venues specifically tailored to their subculture. Kurure Often the kurure are regarded as being an unusual bunch of social recluses in stark, plain blacks. It is true to say that they are more isolated than others, but it is not unheard of to see them gathered in squares in towns and cities. They are typically introspective, philosphical and interested in literary pursuits, including reading and writing poetry and gothic novels; some also favour writing musical lyrics. Often their gatherings are an exchange and critique of each other's literary works or philosophical discussion. Gakuri Referred to as gothic lolita in Terhan, the style emphasises classic lolita fashion and fuses it with darker clothing and make-up, often defining the eyes. Black and white are the predominate colourings in the style, but blues and purples are also popular. The style further sub-divides into aristocratic styles and more classical styles. Kuropo Kuropo is one of the most distinctive subcultures in Itania at the moment. It centres heavily around the ideas of subverting permanence and norms of identity that are favoured by more conservative peers and older members of society. Quite frequently, Kuropo's style is married with the creative inclinations of the Modo. Typical kuropo adherents are often noted for their unusual and highly varied styles of dress. Even where uniforms are required, kuropo can be found in references to school children from popular television and movie franchises. Unlike other subcultures, kuropo rejects the idea of labelling in general, preferring not to consider itself to be comprised of different subtypes but rather as one diverse whole. In general, members of this subculture range in practice from subverting gender roles through cross dressing and/or androgynous styling, through to anime, movie and television cosplay. Music varies, too, from pop to classic rock and some dance music. The group are typically progressive liberals in terms of their political affiliation. Members of this social group are scene in many places, ranging from the eccentric maid cafés to parks and squares, to arcades and often debate their particular interests with others, hoping to expand both the viewpoints of themselves and others giving them more identities to explore within themselves. Geikurokuro Geikurokuro is an umbrella term for a younger generation of youngsters with a dedication towards preservation of traditional values. They value traditional values like male providers and female housewives, traditional familes, wear traditional clothing and adhere to a belief in the national faith, Motsoko. Unlike other groups who have overall traits that make them more readily identifiable, the traditionalist tend to be musically and physically variable, appearing as “normal” people. They have a tendency to dislike other subcultures for diluting the traditional culture of the country, and are conservative voters. Infrequently, they are in favour of authoritarian legal measures to enforce their views, though most believe in trying to bring others around to their way of thinking by purely social means, including education and cultural events. They clash particularly often with the kuropo, who embody entirely opposing viewpoints. Inner-city traditionalists tend to maintain small familial units with a stay-home mother, whilst the father works in some sector of business. In the rural areas where this group are predominantly found, small family units will usually be found in traditional housing and keep small farms where everyone contributes, using minimal machinery to ease the workload. Modern fertilisers are used by most of such farmers, but some prefer to work with exclusively traditional methods. Their goods are often priced higher and considered luxury goods if quality can be maintained. Kikiban Kikiban are typified by a love of technology, science and/or science fiction. The subculture is filled with science enthusiasts, amateur astronomers, tinkani, classic and modern science fiction fans, robotics enthusiasts and all manner of other things; the group is as varied as science itself. Often kikiban can be characterised by possession of, or longing for, the latest phones and electronics. Some people display their affiliation with the group through attendance at conventions, varying degrees of futuristic dress and an interest in synthesised, futuristic music. Additionally, minorities have fetishised various science fiction aliens and robots, though this is generally held to be perverse and disturbing behaviour attributed to what might be considered classic “basement dwellers”, or Furokoni Tinkani Tinkani is a portmanteau of the Terhan word tinker and oni, the Itanian word for a person or people. Tinkani enjoy modifying and creating things. Typically a tinkani is a member of another subculture who also has an interest in creating their own accessories and gadgets for use in that context. For example, many kuropo are also tinkani because they actively work on creating their own clothing and costumes instead of being restricted to store-bought products which they feel are less desirable because they weren't made with the dedication and pride of the end-user. Kikiban also often become engaged in the subculture because of the desire to make their own gadgets and props for various technical conventions. Often the subculture light-heartedly refers to various forms of scientists and engineer as honorary tinkani if their work centres around materials sciences or research that underpins the creation of new technologies instead of just furthering understanding. Tinkani also exist in a “Pure form” states, without affiliation to any other specific subculture. They they are often found modifying cars and bikes with a variety of custom body kits, engine tuning, neon lighting and tinted screens. Often these petrol heads embrace Terhan biker or greaser stylings. Others prefer to simply make devices that perform simple functions in over-complicated ways, or simply do nothing at all but look pleasing whilst doing so. Religion Motsoko is based off the belief in souls and that the world is filled with spirits (Moto).'' These two spirits are key to the faith. Much of the folklore of the country is derived from the spirits associated with Motsoko and carries messages of caution or advising best practice when dealing with them. There are said to be numerous types of spirits throughout the world, each of which is affiliated with different aspects of the world, including things such as war and healing, storms, magic, and wisdom. These spirits are said to have been deposited on Rajahn by the flame-haired goddess, ''Motonosoke who lives in the sun. It is also believed that some particularly remarkable people, such as pre-eminent scientists and wizards can be granted life after death as a spirit embodying certain fields. This belief has historically been key to underpinning the Itanian culture's drive to achieve well and the social expectation on youngsters to make something of themselves. Reincarnation also features heavily in Motsosoko. It is said that those who are particularly remarkable can be reborn in a new life, having their soul pass through death to be reborn again in a new body. Those reborn souls go on to become Motso (priests) who, having passed through the realm of death, can speak to spirits in the hopes of brokering deals with humanity for the purposes of healing relatives or watching over soldiers and the like. Those who are considered sinful or otherwise bad are claimed by the Dakura, demon spirits that drag off souls to their black, undersea prison of Garu to spend forever in torment. People who fall into neither category go on to become the energy of the universe, which motso can tap into to perform their magics, such as protective funeral rites to stop the dakura claiming the deceased's spirit. To counter the soul depletion that would otherwise happen, Motonosoke sends down new souls to the surface in the annual rainy season. It is considered a blessing to have a child born in this season, and many couples try to conceive children in the hopes of coinciding the birth with the rains and those that succeed typically give their children names relating to rain, water and/or luck. Despite her pivotal role in ensuring that the planet is supplied with souls, the Itanians do not worship the deity directly, nor do they directly worship the spirits. The relationship they share with the spirits is one of respect and is centred around business-like transactions. The spirits are said to offer challenges, puzzles, or material sacrifices that, if completed, will ensure that they fulfil the wish of the human seeking their aid. This has often formed the basis of cautionary tales in which the human has tried to trick the spirit, or has been tricked in turn. Such tales often centre around people trying to strike deals with the dakura to protect their soul in death, often paying steep prices only to be betrayed at the moment of death. Despite this, other spirit types have been implicated as guilty in such scams, too, after being treated rudely, or because of an inherently duplicitous personality. Temples in Itania are not a place of formal worship. Though they are overseen by one or more motso, these individuals do not lead any form of formalised prayer or worship, as that is not a part of the Itanian belief system. Their role centres around being the brokers of deals to the spirit world, as well as performing various magical roles, such as protective spells for the dead. Often, they also serve as advisers to the public regarding problems and dilemmas in their lives. The temples themselves are used as houses of meditation and many have special chambers given over to other pursuits that are favoured by the spirits. Large temples in particular often have courtyards in which people may practice martial arts, others have rooms for group discussion of literature, others still have classes in skills such as sculpting and calligraphy led by masters in the arts. As such, the temples have become a spiritual and social heart of the communities of Itania in the same way as they have in many other countries and cultures. Culture Folklore Cuisine Visual arts Literature and poetry Performing arts Sports National symbols National bird The Itanians adopted the deep blue Kaihando as their national symbol for several reasons. It bears an obvious physical appeal, but also sports rich blue plumage, which is an important colour to the Itanian population that is associated with mystical powers and wisdom. Additionally, the bird is often found around the Sapphire Lake, a spiritually important site to the population, that bears many temples along its shores. National flower The Itanian national flower is the lake flower, so-named for its abundant natural growth around lakes and streams. It was the basis of the familial crest of the Kang family, who stood sentinel along the border with Mushu at the start of the War of Independence that saw Itania shake of the shackles of its former rulers. Flag The flag of Itania is standardised as being a 2:1 width:height ratio. It is partitioned horizontally in a deep blue over a lighter one, symbolising the waters of the world and sky above it. Centred above the two is the sun. The three come together to represent the soul cycle: Coming from the Sun, descending from the sky in rain, to be taken away into the depths of the water. ' Other' Often, people also associate the crest of the Anhao family with the country. The Anhao family were the driving force that unified the Itanian people in the revolt against their former rulers. They also acted as the head of the new-found country in the period between independence and the formalisation of a new government. Miscellaneous <> Category:Countries Category:Places Category:WIP